Before their time
by EvangelineRainbow x
Summary: This is a fanfiction about the stories of some of the dumping ground characters before their time at Elm Tree house. Inspiration from Linneagb, she's one of my favourite authors on this website. Hope you enjoy! Don't forget to review!
1. Jody

**A.N- This fanfiction is basically a bunch of Tracy Beaker Returns kids and their stories before going to Elm Tree House. I got inspiration from Linneagb, so thanks! Hope you enjoy!**

Jody

I was sitting in my bedroom late that night. I was starving, I'd had no food for... um, I have no idea. I'd lost track of days.

I heard the front door open. Great. I crept onto the landing and peeped down the stairs. I saw Kingsley and Mum walk in, they sounded very drunk. Then Luke came in after them. He'd gone out to look for them an hour ago.

I liked Luke. He was nice to me. He wouldn't beat me or lock me in my room or hold me down under the water in the bath. If anything, he protected me from them... most of the time. Sometimes he couldn't help much, Kingsley would beat him too.

"Where's the girl?" Mum muttered, a bottle of vodka in her hand.

"I'll go find her," Kingsley said, running up the stairs. I crawled back into my room and hid under my bed. I was terrified.

The door flung open, "Where are you, brat?" Kingsley bellowed. He wrecked up my room, making an awful racket. Luke ran in.

"Mate, what are you doing?" Luke asked Kingsley.

"I'm playing sodding chess," Kingsley said sarcastically, "What do you think I'm doing?" He then slapped Luke. I yelped without thinking. I hoped he wouldn't find me, but he heard me and pulled me out from under the bed.

"It's bath time," he said, laughing. I could smell the alcohol on his lips, it made me feel sick. He grabbed me and dropped me in the bath. He held me under for ages. The water filled my lungs, I was finally lifted out and coughed and spluttered. Luke had saved me.

He picked me up, holding me close. He tucked me up in bed, and I fell into a deep sleep shortly after.

The next morning, Kingsley and Mum had gone from the house. Luke and I had no idea where they had gone.

When there was a knock at the door at about eleven in the morning, I expected the worst. But the door opened and there was a middle-aged man standing at the door.

"You must be Jody! I'm Mike," He said, smiling. I didn't smile back.

"Yeah, so what?" I replied.

"Well, your brother Luke contacted me and warned me about your situation." Mike said, "I'm here to take you to Elm Tree house,"

I frowned at Luke, he nodded and said, "Come on Jody, you've gotta go," He gave me a little push.

"No, no, NO!" I yelled as Mike picked me up and took me out of the door.


	2. Liam

**A.N- Thank you to bracken99 for your review!**

Liam

Phoebe O'Donovan sighed as she held up the pregnancy test to her eyesight. It clearly showed positive.

Her first thoughts went to her son, Jack.

Just seven years ago, she had given birth to him but he had been taken away by social services because of her boyfriend, Kai, and his criminal record.

Kai was also the father of Jack and her unborn child. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought of Jack. She then remembered Kai. He had

been gone for three weeks now.

He was drunk that night. The night he did some horrible things to Phoebe. At the end of the events, she was left pregnant for the second time and Kai had left the scene.

And here was Phoebe. With nobody to help. Her parents lived in Australia, she had no more living family. She couldn't afford an abortion. Phoebe had no choice but to give birth to the baby when the time came.

For Phoebe, the pregnancy went quite quickly. It got to 37 weeks when she made a decision about the upbringing of her son. She came to a conclusion that she would leave him on the doorstep of the local care home, Elm Tree house, and leave a note about the situation.

She couldn't cope with the thought of her baby being taken away from her again, so she decided to do it herself to avoid pain.

She thought of the name Liam Oscar Finlay O'Donovan for her baby boy.

Pretty soon, Liam was born.

The same night he was born, Phoebe rushed him to Elm Tree House with tears in her eyes. She kissed him on his forehead and carefully placed him on the doorstep with the note. It read -

_Dear Mister/Miss,  
>My name is Liam Oscar Finlay O'Donovan and I was born at 7:35 pm on the 21st November.<br>My mummy wasn't ready to have another baby after my brother, Jack, got taken away by social services six years ago. _

_My mummy isn't a bad person, I love her. But I understand that it's easier for her if I am with somebody who she knows will love me and take care of me,  
>I hope you learn to appreciate me and please look after me well.<em>

_-Liam._

Her baby boy started crying as he was left in the cold moonlight. Somebody heard his yelping, a man opened the door. He crouched down and read the letter. He smiled and took Liam inside.

Meanwhile, Phoebe who was hiding in the bushes, jumped out and ran down the street, never to be seen again.


	3. Elektra

**A.N- who should I do next? Make sure to tell me in the review section!**

Elektra

I ran upstairs to my bedroom after yet another row with my controlling parents. The door to my room slammed behind me loudly. I looked around angrily.

Despite being ten, the floral wallpaper and matching furniture was way too 'stereotypical girly girl' for me. I detested pink and still do. I would've much preferred blue or black, much more me!

I pulled out my poetry book from underneath my pillow and thumbed through the pages. It was my secret article, nobody knew about it. It was nicked though, I'd learnt about shoplifting from my street friends. I often sneaked out at night to see them. They respected me.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror. All I saw was an ugly girl. I threw a hairbrush at the glass, causing it to crack in many directions. I opened my drawer abruptly and pulled out a sachet of blue hair-dye. I'd shoplifted it ages ago and was looking for the right time to use it.

Half an hour later, the tips of my chestnut hair were dyed electric blue. I felt a boost of confidence, but I wasn't done.

I peered down at the dress I was wearing, it was an ugly shade of pink with horrible flowers patterned all over it. I hauled it over my head and threw it across the room, I then ran across my room, opened my wardrobe and added all my other dresses to the pile.

One-by-one, I used my scissors to cut the clothes. I felt relieved, not guilty. I was glad that I was doing it. When I'd finished that, I filled my bin with the strips of silk.

There was only one cool outfit in my cupboard, it was my electric blue jumper with a giant black lightning bolt across it. I wore it with my black skinny jeans and doc martens. I felt confident in this outfit.

Then there was my name. Mandy. What were my parents thinking?

I thought of a cool new name. Elektra. I loved it! I was a new girl, Elektra. I was going to start a whole new life.

But at that exact moment, my mum burst in. She looked around the room in shock, at my hair, at the bin. She then ran out of the room shouting, "Bernard! I swear I'm going to put this child into care!"

I didn't care.

Elektra was too cool to care.

I loved calling myself Elektra, it suited me so much more than Mandy. At that point, my annoying older sister Melissa walked in.

"Oh my god, what have you done to your hair?" she giggled, "and what are you wearing?!"

"Go away!" I yelled at her.

She stopped smirking, "Mum says you have to pack your things,".

That was the start of my series of care-homes.

But Elektra wasn't scared, Elektra was strong.

Elektra would cope.


	4. Frank

**A.N- Thanks for all your reviews! I liked C.1.3.L.U.N.4.7 's idea for doing girl/boy/girl/boy etc. Just a reminder, I am just doing 'Tracy Beaker Returns' and 'The Dumping Ground' characters. So, thank you for your review Linneagb, but I'm just sticking to 'later on' characters. Hope you enjoy!**

Frank

I strolled into the house after an afternoon of fishing. I'd been unlucky, I hadn't caught anything.

"Don't forget to take your pills!" Shouted Granddad as I walked up the stairs.

I swallowed the many pills that I had to take daily, seeing as I have cerebral palsy, and then switched on my television. Man U were up against Colchester United. I sat on my bed eagerly and watched the exciting match.

Manchester won by two goals. After the game, I heard the doorbell ring and Granddad answered it. So I decided to go downstairs and see what it was all about.

In the living room, there was a man in his forties. He was bald and quite tall.

"Frank, this is Mike," said Granddad.

"It's nice to meet you, Frank," Mike said, smiling.

We all sat down and Mike started talking to me.

"Now, your Granddad has looked after you since you were a baby, right?"

"Yes," I replied, still not sure about what was going on.

"How old are you now?"

"Twelve,"

"Well, your Granddad is getting quite frail, so the government are moving him to a home," Mike said, I immediately felt very sad and realised the seriousness in the incident. "So, I'm going to take you to a place called Elm Tree house, it's a care home,"

I went into a trance whilst staring at the floor, I didn't want to leave Granddad, he'd looked after me for all these years and I couldn't bear to leave him.

But I couldn't do anything about it. An hour later, I was sitting in Mike's car, waving goodbye to Granddad. I didn't cry, I'm not the crying type.

But it was really sad watching my home disappear into the distance.

Mike was trying but failing to cheer me up by telling me about all the residents of Elm Tree house. I wasn't interested.

I just wanted my family back.


	5. JohnnyTee

**A.N- Hey guys, sorry I haven't uploaded in AGESSSSS! I recently started school again and I've been really busy! So, yeah! Johnny and Tee were highly requested, so here is the chapter! Just be warned, this chapter isn't for the light-hearted, hope you enjoy!**

Johnny/Tee

The brown-haired siblings cuddled up together in the cupboard as they heard their stepfather, Keith, beating up their mum. Tee whimpered quietly, she was only six and wasn't used to this sort of violence. Johnny, who was only eight himself, consoled his sister and held her closer.

"Where are those rug rats?! The kitchen is a pigsty!" bellowed Keith, stomping up the stairs.

"Stay here Tee, I don't want you to get hurt," whispered Johnny as he clambered out of the dark wardrobe. He shook as Keith reached the landing. He grabbed Johnny by the collar, Johnny could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"Get down there," hissed Keith, slapping Johnny hard.

When Johnny became free of Keith's clutch, he ran downstairs hurriedly. His mum was nowhere in sight, suddenly, Johnny was really frightened.

"I need a drink," said Keith. It was a split second before he let out a manly scream.

"WHO SPILT JUICE ON MY NEW JACKET?!"

Johnny ran into the downstairs bathroom and locked the door, for once, it wasn't his fault. But then he remembered Tee.

Johnny hastily unlocked the toilet door and ran upstairs, but he was too late. He could hear Tee's screams from outside the door. As Johnny entered the scene, he spotted Tee lying on the floor with bruises and cuts all over her face. Keith was hunched over her with an angry look on his face, and the children's mum was next to him.

"Come on Keith, lets go to the pub," she said.

Johnny was angry, with both of them.

"Fine. I'll have to go without my jacket." jeered Keith, glaring at Johnny.

As soon as the two adults were out of the room, Johnny ran to his sister's side to see if she was okay.

"Tee, Tee?!" He said, alarmed. Tee then awoke and coughed horrifically.

"You're okay!" Johnny beamed.

He held his sister close and she hugged him back.

"Lets go and clean those wounds," said Johnny.

He lead Tee into the bathroom just as their mum and Keith left the house.

But they were stopped.

"This is the police! Surrender!" yelled some unfamiliar voices.

Keith was then lead outside by two policeman as another ran upstairs. He spotted the children in the bathroom and greeted them warmly. "Hello, my name is Tim. I was called by your neighbours, I'm going to take you two to a home called Elm Tree House where there are lots of children like you," He said softly.

Johnny carried on holding his sister, he felt like he could never let go.

After a long pause, the policeman then said:

"Doesn't that sound nice?"


	6. Rick

**A.N- OMG, I have suffered from really bad writer's block for the past few weeks. Also, I have been working on something very special that will be revealed in good time :) Anyways, somebody mentioned that I should do Ryan Reeves. I definitely would...if I knew anything about him. So I'm going to do Rick Barber instead. Hope you like!**

Rick

"C'mon Ricardo, we're going out scamming!" yelled Dad up the stairs.

Despite being nine and involved in my parent's scams for five years, I still had no idea how they did it for a living. I'd learnt some of their skills, but to me, it was all one big joke.

I grabbed my i-pod and trotted down the stairs.

As we walked out of the door and down the road towards the town, I stuck both headphones in my ears and started playing some 80's classics.

As we approached the local cafe, Dad spotted something.

"It's him," he said.

"Who Dad?" I replied.

"TJ Martin, he was the school bully in our year," said Mum.

"Window Show?" Dad asked Mum. She nodded in return.

Dad turned to me. "Listen Rick, I want you to go up to that window and start mocking him when your mother tells you to,"

It sounded kinda dodgy, but just agreed as I always did.

So, I went up to that window and started making fun of the man that was in the cafe. After a minute of this, he stood up abruptly and Dad stole his wallet from his back pocket. Something didn't seem right, I felt as if something was about to go extremely wrong.

Dad came out of the cafe with the black wallet in his hand.

"At least 300 quid in here," he said, startled, "here, you have it..."

But before he could finish his sentence and hand the money to me, he was stopped.

"Oi! You're under arrest for fraud!" shouted a policeman, pointing at my Dad and Mum. They tried to leg it, but the policemen stopped them.

"Get in the car!" another policeman yelled.

I didn't know where my place was, so I sat at one of the tables outside the cafe.

"Ah," said the first policeman, "Are you the son of Mr and Mrs Barber?"

I nodded because I knew that I was.

"Right, I'm going to take you to a place called Burneywood where there will be lots of kids like you. There, you'll be safe..."

I remember arriving at the supposed 'Burneywood'. It didn't seem so special at first, not many kids like me were in sight.

But one kid did catch my eye.

In the corner of the room, hiding in a gap between the wall and the bookcase was a small girl with shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes.

She looked very sad and lonely. I couldn't stand seeing anyone alone.

"Hello," I whispered. She looked up at me with her sad brown eyes.

"Are you alone?" She replied by nodding.

"Do you want me to be your friend?"

Suddenly, her emotion changed drastically. She smiled and nodding again, then hugged me softly.

"I'm Kitty," she whispered.

"I'm Rick," I replied.


End file.
